Means for preventing the disastrous consequences of the accidental ignition of the gasolene of aircrafts&#39; tanks.



FIP830E N. POGOLSKI;

MEANS FOR PREVENTING THE DISASTROUS coussousnces or THE ACCIDENTAL IGNIITION or THE GASOLENE or AIRCRAFTS' TANKS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE I3. 2918.

1,300,1 90. Patented Apr. 8 1919.

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MEANS FOR PREVENTING THE DISAST BOUS CONSEQUENCES OF THE ACCIDENTAL IGNITION OF THE GASOLENE OF AIRCBAFTS TANKS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, NICOLAS POGOLSKI, of Washington, District of Columbia, have invented a new and useful Improvement in means for Preventing the Disastrous Consequences of the Accidental Ignition of the Gasolene ofAircrafts Tanks, which invention is fully set forth in the following specification.

My invention relates to new and useful means for preventing fires occurring in airplanes, and especially the firing of the gasolene supply, from becoming a source of danger to the operator and seriously destructive in its effect upon the airplane, and the object of the invention is to provide such a means preferably under the control of the operator which by a most simple and natural action on his part will cause thequick release and dropping of the fuel tank and at the same time prevent leakage by reason of the rupture of the supply connection thereof.

The invention primarily consists in providing a support or false bottom for the gasolene tank, which support or false bottom is in turn supported upon releasing devices, which when withdrawn from their engaged position permit the tank and its support to drop free of the airplane.

The invention also consists in combining with the releasing devices a suitable power device for actuating the same, and a locking means under the control of the operator,

whereby u 11 its actuation the release will e made t rough the action of the power device. I

The invention also consists in providing means for rupturin the fuel supply connection of the tank t at is operated throu h a connection between said means and t e tank, whereby the wei ht and momentum of the tank in falling 'Wlll supply the power for operating the rupturing means.

he invention also consists in provid' means for continuing the fii ht for a short time after the dropping of t e fuel tank.

The invention further consists incertain other features in the arrangement and con-- struction of parts, all as hereinafter described and claimed.

Specification of Letters Patent.

' Application filed June 18, 1918. Serial No. 240,568.

carries a ring, 'r.

Patented Apr. 8, 1919.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating the invention,

Figure 1 is a top or plan view;

Fig. 2 is a view in elevation;

Fig. 2 of the drawing shows the connection between the tank of reserve "and the motor.

My plan is as follows: lene tank on a false bottom, A, B, G, D, (F ig. 1) which is held in its place by four bolts 6, I), governed by the shafts N, N, each carrying two toothed wheels 9, 9. These wheels act on racks f, f, forming the prolongation of the bolts 6, and withdraw the bolts 6, from their nests, 'n, 12., thus leaving the false bottom free to fall down. The shafts N, N, are set in rotation by the shaft M, which is rotated by a powerful spring S, kept in the state of tension by the ratchet wheel a. With raising of the stop t, by a pull given to the chain a: (Fig. 3) the apparatus is set in action and the false bottom with the tank falls through. Further, by the same pull given to the chain a communication is automatically established between the motor and a small gasolene "tank of reserve.

Fig. 2 represents the arrangement for the above purpose; p, is a pulley over which passes a chain, or rope, :12, one end of which is attached to the stop, t, andanother end Over another small pulley, 72", passes the chain, as, one end of whlch is joined to the chain :0, at, f, and another end passes under the pulley, a, then is fastened to it at, c; the pulley, z, is set on the protrudi Through a pull given to the ring, r the stop, t, is raised, at the same time the pulley, z, is set in rotation; the valve, 4), is turned and therewith the communication between the gasolene tank Q and the motor is established through the ipe, w.

Obviously the tu connecting the tank with the motor must be severed from the latter that not a single drop of gasolene should be split on the plane. The apparatus F and F is to answer this urpose.

Theabove connecting tu must be made of soft metal, such as lead or red copperend of the valve, '0.

I place the gaso- I until the escapeof the eyelet off the hook, e.

i it.

-m, which pass over the tube, flattens it,

under a fixed roller that flattens the tube weighssometimes over half a ton, .eonsidand drives out of it all gasolene; next the erable effort would be required of the optube passes under a cutter that cuts through erator and could not be accomplished instantly as is desirable. The pilot of an air- In Fig. 2, a, represents a narrow steel craft in flames is often wounded, and beplate which carries the tube T and is pro-. sides his clothing is often set afiame by a vided with four rollers d, d, rolling in the jet of flaming gasolene. It is impossible grooves of the two rails, h; K are the suptherefore in such situations to require of the ports carrying the bearings of the rollers operator the heavy and slow task of releasing the tank, and for this reason it is conand drives out all the gasolene. Next, the sidered absolutely necessary to impose upon flattened tube passes under the cutter C, the operator only the slightest posible acwhich cuts through it and touches the strip tion on his part and to provide a power dey, of the red copper which is inlaid in the vice in connection with the releasing means middle of the plate a.

For setting in rolling the carriage carrying the plate, a, I purpose using the kinetic energy of the falling false bottom and do it in the following way: A chain (or rope), Z Fig. 1 and Fig. 2) solidly attached to the alse bottom at the point p, is led overthe small roller, 0, and wound on the pulley, 10, which is provided with a hook, e; the chain, Z,- carries an e elet at its end which eyelet after the win ing of the chain, Z, around that can be set in action instantaneously by him without any appreciable effort.

What I claim is 1. Means for preventing the disastrous consequences of the ignition of the gasolene of air-craft tanks, comprising a false bottom held in place by a plurality of bolts having each a rack portion, a power device, a power transmission device carrying pinions for operating said bolts through their racks, a ratchet locking means for said thepulley, w, is set on the hook, 2. Thus power device, whereby upon unlocking the by unwinding of the chain, Z, the pulley, to, power device it is set in action to withdraw is set in rotation and the latter continues the said bolts.

2. Means for preventing the disastrous s is a spring to stop the plate a when the consequences of the ignition of the gasolene tube T is cut through. Farther on, on both of air-craft tanks comprising a releasable ends of the pulley, w, there is a pulley, '0, fuel tank in com ination with means for which pulleys are both connected by the ropes, g, with the plate, a. During the unable automatically through a connection winding of the chain, Z,the ropes, g, are with the fuel tank upon the descent of the wound on the pulley, 'v, and therewith the latter. carriage with the plate, a, is drawn toward 3. Means for preventing the disastrous the false bottom, and it passes first under consequences of the ignition of the gasolene the roller, m, and then under the cutter, c. of aircraft tanks, comprising in combina- With the installation of a small tank of tion, a releasable main fuel tank, an auxilreserve, the danger of the burning down of iary'reserve fuel tank, and means for autoaeroplanes will be increased proportionately matically connecting the auxiliary tank with. to the increase of the exposed surface.

the motor when the main-tank is released. Therefore the small tank must be treated in 4. Means for preventing the disastrous the same way as the large one in order to consequences of the ignition of the gasolene prevent its being the cause ofthe burning of aircraft tanks, comprising a combination, down of the aeroplanes. a releasable fuel tank having a supply duct The arrangement of Fig. 1 looks very or pipe connected therewith, means for cutbulky and heavy, but it is represented only ting and sealing said duct or pipe, said schematically; it will be the duty of the enmeans being set in motion uponthe movegineer to make it as light as possible. It is ment of the tank relatively thereto. dbvious that the length of the bolts, 6, b, 5. A device of the character described being, say, 11, inch a toothed wheel of, say, comprising a releasable fuel tank having 3. inches diameter, to withdraw the bolts connection with a motor, in combination from their nests, must be turned by less than with means for cutting and sealmg the contherefore only a small sector of the nection between the fuel tank and the motor,

' wheel would be necessary and the rest can heflsaid means including a shiftable element cut off. The same change could be made on adapted to have a portion of the connection lease the tank, which with its fuel supply the ratchet wheel. resting thereon, a sealing device arranged It may be stated that in devising the over said shiftable element, and a cutter deabove described invention the inventor has vice arranged over said shiftable element,

been guided by the following considerations said element being connected with the tank that are of paramount importance. To reto be shifted by a movement thereof.

6. A device of the character described,

flattening and cutting thefuel pipe opercomprising a releasable fuel tank having a supply connection with amotor, in combination with means for cutting and sealing said connection when the tank is released, said means including a flattening roller, a cutter element, and a shiftable member movable under said roller and cutter element and carrying a portion of said supply connection, and a connection between said shiftable element and tank through which the former 10 is actuated.

June 12, 1918, Washington, D. C.

NICOLAS POGOLSKI. 

